


My Bad Influence

by ReeLeeV



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Always, Friends to Lovers, Hyungki rise, I Will Go Down With This Ship, M/M, Slow Burn, also, bad boy kihyun, maybe????, minhyuk's a lil emo boi too, prep boy hyungwon, rivals to friends, we'll see
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-27
Updated: 2020-08-29
Packaged: 2021-03-01 10:29:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,529
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23349940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReeLeeV/pseuds/ReeLeeV
Summary: Kihyun’s got a lot going on in his life, and he’s letting it affect him in the worst of ways. When he gets stuck in detention with the preppiest—*cough*prettiest*cough*—boy in school, it starts them both down a path neither are really prepared for.
Relationships: Chae Hyungwon/Yoo Kihyun
Comments: 30
Kudos: 45





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Here's to fic 251!!!! lmao

Kihyun takes a long dreg from his cigarette, watching the way the ants move against the concrete below his feet. Such miniscule little things… Kihyun can’t quite think of what the point is for their scurrying about. Why, just one slide of his foot would kill many if not all of them. Then where would that leave them and their frantic pace? Nowhere. Fucking dead. Just like everything else ends up, eventually.

“Hey, man.” Kihyun looks up, blinking slowly as Minhyuk sits beside him. He hums in reply before taking another inhale, sufficiently rendering the cigarette entirely to cinders. He drops the butt and smashes it beneath his heel, releasing one long breath of smoke. Minhyuk leans back on his hands, sighing up at the blue sky.

“So, today sucked,” he says, popping a piece of pink gum between his teeth. “Wanna come over and get fucked up?”

“Can’t,” Kihyun tells him, standing up. “Gotta go home. Mom’s planning this big dinner thing.” Minhyuk’s brow furrows, his darkly-lined eyes squinting almost accusatory at the boy.

“For?” he asks, and Kihyun has to stifle a sigh of annoyance.

“A check-in,” he answers shortly. Minhyuk hums then, understanding. After all, he should know too well by now how many of these asinine “check-ins” Kihyun’s had to go to. Ever since his dad died last year, his mom’s been insisting on these family dinners at least once a month, so everyone can sit around in awkward silence and do their best not to stare at the empty chair  _ still _ at the head of the table.

“Good luck,” Minhyuk says, tilting his head to the side. “Shit, guess I gotta ask Wonnie…” Kihyun can’t help but scoff as he stuffs his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket.

“Like that stuck-up prick would say yes,” he says. Minhyuk purses his lips at this, but Kihyun doesn’t apologize. He knows Minhyuk and Hyungwon are friends, always have been, but that doesn’t mean he has to like him. A friend of Minhyuk’s is only that: a friend of Minhyuk’s. Hyungwon’s fallen into the inner circle here at Star High, drifting along with the fabulous and rich and the very much  _ not _ Kihyun’s type.

That tells Kihyun all he needs to know about the boy right there.

“See you tomorrow, Ki,” Minhyuk tells him, lying down on the sidewalk. “I’m just gonna wait here for Wonnie.” Kihyun doesn’t hum, but offers a simple wave in reply as he turns his back on the boy. When Kihyun’s sufficiently off school premises, just a block away, he pulls out the lemonade bottle he has filled with the sweet beverage and vodka. Just something to take the impending edge off of this dinner for him… 

At home, Kihyun wishes he could’ve stayed out a bit longer. But, he put off coming home long enough. His mother already has the majority of the dinner on the table, from the looks of it. Main and side dishes burst out around individual plates and bowls. Kihyun takes off his shoes and weaves his way to his room through the general chaos of his home. His younger brother is playing in the living room, and his older brother is in the kitchen with their mother. He slips into his room long enough to get out of his coat and toss it onto his bed, going to his nightstand to restock on supplies for the next day of school. He then goes to the mirror, wiping meticulously at his smudged eye makeup and fixing his hair a bit.

Even though he knows his mother doesn’t understand his fashion choices, the last thing he wants right now is her to dote on him and try to help him fix himself up.

“Hey!! Kihyun!” his older brother, Jihyun, calls. He knocks on the door, and Kihyun has to stifle a sigh.

“What?” he calls back, looking at his reflection and resolutely not at the door. 

“What do you mean, ‘what???’? Where were you?? Dinner’s almost ready!”

“Then I’m not late,” Kihyun fires back, head whipping to the door. He stomps over and pulls it open in a huff, easily aggravated today by his brother. “Then what the fuck is the problem??” Jihyun frowns hard, pushing Kihyun by the shoulder a bit too hard.

“Don’t cop an attitude with me, brat,” he spits at him, eyes narrowing. “Mom was just worried.”

“Don’t tell me what to do,” Kihyun fires back, pushing his brother in a similar way. Jihyun groans and pushes him again, turning his back on him like that’s the end of it. Kihyun pushes him even harder before he can get out of arm’s reach, but Jihyun doesn’t retaliate this time. For some reason, that only pisses Kihyun off more. Who does his brother think he is, anyway?? He’s not their dad, he’s just another son. Just because he was born first doesn’t make him all that special.

Kihyun slams the door shut, going to his desk and getting the chair there to wedge between the doorknob and the floor. He isn’t all that hungry anymore, so he’ll just give a raincheck for this particular check-in. He rifles through his nightstand to pull out a fresh cigarette, opening his window and lighting it. 

After blowing Minhyuk off, Hyungwon finds himself meandering on his way home at a slower pace. He grips onto the straps of his backpack, his body aching from carrying around all these books. So much homework, so little time… But, if he wants to do anything with his life, if he wants to get out of this town, he knows he’ll have to study hard. He doesn’t want to rely on his looks for all his life, he actually wants to  _ do _ something. 

Upon rounding the corner of his street, he sees a light at a familiar upstairs window. Hyungwon finds himself staring as he passes, the silhouette of his classmate, Yoo Kihyun, filling the window. The faint sound of music can be heard on the nighttime air, and Hyungwon thinks he recognizes the song. He doesn’t realize he’s stopped walking, too caught up in looking up into that window and watching how Kihyun acts when he thinks no one’s paying attention. A cigarette is perched between his lips, the smell of it reaching to Hyungwon through the cracked window. Kihyun seems to be staring at something in his hands as the cigarette burns away, his expression hidden in shadow. 

Hyungwon swallows thickly, forcing himself to continue on his course. He goes two more houses down before stopping at his own home, his younger brother playing video games on the couch and his mother arguing on the phone with someone. Hyungwon goes to sit by his brother, ruffling his hair affectionately before slouching back for a moment. He closes his eyes, glad Kihyun hadn’t realized he’d been staring.

The last thing Hyungwon wants is to have to explain himself for getting so easily distracted by someone not interested in him.


	2. Chapter 2

“I… don’t know about this,” Hyunwoo comments, running a towel through his hair. Hyungwon watches as his brow furrows, a sign his math homework is very much not looking correct. Hyungwon pouts, pulling the page down and watching the older dry himself from his dip in the pool.

“What part looks wrong to you?” Hyungwon asks, already looking hard at the homework in front of him. He’s always sucked royally at math, a trait he shares with his bestie Min. Though, luckily, he knows just the upperclassman to help him in dire times like these.

“All of it?” Hyunwoo replies, earning a groan of exasperation from Hyungwon. Hyunwoo smiles gently at him as he covers his face in shame with the stupid worksheets, and Hyungwon can practically  _ hear _ his pity.

“This is the worst,” Hyungwon whines, his voice muffled by the papers. “I’m gonna flunk out and it’s gonna be my own stupid fault.”

“Wonnie, don’t say that,” Hyunwoo interjects, his voice stern yet caring like a father’s. “This is just a hard unit for you. You’ll get it for the final!”

“You say that  _ every _ unit, hyung,” Hyungwon points out, finally pulling the papers away to look into Hyunwoo’s eyes. Hyunwoo chuckles warmly, reaching out to awkwardly pat Hyungwon on the shoulder. 

“And I’m right, aren’t I?”

Hyungwon snorts at that, rolling his eyes as he gently pushes Hyunwoo on the arm. Hyunwoo laughs again, scratching at the underside of his chin as he looks around. Hyungwon follows his gaze, finding the natatorium mostly empty. Though,  _ mostly _ seems to be the operative word when he finds a figure in the shadows, exhaling a cloud of smoke as he lies back on a bleacher on the other side of the building. Kihyun doesn’t seem to be aware anyone else is in there with him, his face turned towards the ceiling. Hyunwoo frowns and looks away, and Hyungwon only offers him a distracted, reassuring smile as he glances between Kihyun and Hyunwoo.

“Hyungwon,” his math teacher, Ms. Soyou, calls from the front of the room. She crooks a finger forward, motioning for him to approach. Hyungwon gulps thickly, knowing this can only be about one thing. His last test. Minhyuk glances at him questioningly as he packs his things, and Hyungwon only shakes his head and waves him off. He doesn’t want his friend to have to wait for him while he gets a verbal beating. The other kids file out of the room, Minhyuk lingering the longest until he, too, leaves.

Hyungwon shuffles forward, clutching the strap of his bag worriedly. He gives a small bow of respect before facing her, gulping thickly. Ms. Soyou gives him a warm smile, though he can tell it’s bad news by the plethora of red markings flooded over his test.

“Your last grades are… troubling,” she starts, but Hyungwon is quick to cut to the chase.

“M-Math isn’t my strong suit, ma’am,” Hyungwon agrees immediately, earning a small chuckle from the woman. “But, I’ve been asking my friends for help, and I’m sure with them I’ll get better! I just need time! A-And… maybe, I don’t know, a few more all-nighters, and I can catch up!” 

“It’s not that I don’t think you’re making an effort,” she assures him, raising her hands for him to stop and take a breath. “I just don’t know if you’re making the  _ right _ efforts, if that makes sense.” Hyungwon’s brow furrows, and she hums softly. She picks up a pen and scribbles down a string of numbers on a sticky note she then hands to him, and he only looks at it with more confusion. “That’s the number of my best student in your year. Give him a text, and—”

“With all due respect, ma’am,” Hyungwon interrupts, shaking his head as he assumes who it is. “I’m good friends with Minhyuk, and he isn’t the best—”

“With all due respect, young man,” she says back, chuckling softly, “Mr. Lee is a very good student, but there are better than him.” Hyungwon frowns even more at that, pulling the sticky note back to study the phone number. Sure, he didn’t think Minhyuk was the  _ best _ math student in the world, but he just assumed since they were in the same class that she’d recommend him. “Give him a text,” Ms. Soyou repeats, nodding towards the sticky note. “He may be a bit… prickly at first, but he can really help you if he decides to.”

“Prickly?” Hyungwon can’t help but ask, thinking that to be an odd choice of words. Soyou laughs more now, nodding and waving him along. 

“You’ll know what I mean later,” she says. Hyungwon hums softly, bowing as he takes his cue to leave. He’s still staring at the number, trying to figure out if he recognizes it, when he gets into the hall and Minhyuk pulls him aside.

“What’s that?” Minhyuk asks, peering over his shoulder at the note. Hyungwon shrugs, handing it over. Minhyuk frowns hard as he stares, and he pulls his phone out as if to look something up.

“She wants me to get in contact with… whoever that is,” Hyungwon explains, stuffing his hands into his pockets. “She wants me to ask for him to be my tutor.” Minhyuk gasps dramatically, looking up at Hyungwon with wide eyes and a wide-open jaw. Hyungwon pouts, stepping a bit closer.

“Dude,” Minhyuk says, his expression turning into a smirk as he starts to cackle. “Oh, my god, she wants you  _ dead _ !!”

“What??” Hyungwon demands, taking the sticky note from his friend and glaring at it. “Why? Do you know whose number this is??” Minhyuk doubles over in laughter, only holding out his phone in reply. Hyungwon’s brow furrows together as he takes the phone and compares the number on the screen to the one on the paper. When he finds they match, he glances up to the contact name, and his blood runs cold.

Yoo Kihyun… Fuck, she really  _ does _ want him dead.

On the other side of town, the boy in question is sitting on a bench just outside the skate park, watching idiots wipeout off their boards and fail miserably at their attempted tricks. He glances periodically between the kids around him and the math homework he’s currently working on. At least he made perfect on the last few tests… It’ll keep his mom off his back, for sure. He’s pretty sure if his grades slip, his mom will definitely step in.

Well, at least he’s pretty sure… 

Though, he knows for certain she’ll probably have something to say about him skipping out on detention this week. She’s probably already gotten the call, already foaming at the mouth to let him have it. Kihyun huffs out a breath, glancing towards the convenience store just across the street… That is, the one with the blind owner that he can always get booze from. He’ll definitely need something before going back home to deal with all of  _ that _ . 


	3. Chapter 3

Hyungwon has made the decision to  _ not _ text Kihyun for tutoring about an hour after returning home that evening. He can keep bugging Hyunwoo for help, he can badger Minhyuk all he wants. However, the last thing he wants is to poke the sleeping bear that is Yoo Kihyun. If he even passes the boy in the hall sometimes, he feels that if he breathes too loud Kihyun will snap at him. Hyungwon doesn’t really know what he’s done to the older that would make him hate him so much, and frankly Minhyuk hasn’t been much help in figuring it out, either.

“He just hates popular kids,” Minhyuk would tell him whenever he asked with a merciless shrug. “You’re collateral damage. Sucks, but that’s just how it is.”

Hyungwon frowns now, holding the strap of his backpack as he takes a shortcut to the front of the school. He doesn’t normally go this way, but he’s in a hurry to get home and therefore doesn’t have time to navigate the sea of peers hanging out in the halls right now. He swears, for a crowd so eager to get home throughout the day, they sure do like to loiter at the end of the day. Minhyuk’s explanation completely devoid of any help just keeps chirping around inside his head over and over, the slip with Kihyun’s number on it burning a hole in his pocket.

He’s kept it on his person for three days now, for some reason being unable to throw it away quite yet despite his decision to not use it. It… somehow feels safer for him to still have it, though he couldn’t say why.  _ Especially _ when Hyungwon unexpectedly runs into the owner of said phone number when he’s cutting through the back way to the front of the school.

He doesn’t realize until he’s tripping over discarded, empty bottles of spray paint. He blinks around in confusion, frowning when he sees Minhyuk glancing his way. His best friend is standing next to… quite the mural of a garish whale painted in the colors of their school. He can’t help but scowl in response to Minhyuk’s shocked smile, pausing in his spraying. Hyungwon’s eyes flick to the paint as it drips to the ground, pooling where the base of the brick wall meets the grass. 

“Won!” Minhyuk says, clearly befuddled as to what Hyungwon is doing here. A familiar scowl appears over Minhyuk’s shoulder: Yoo Kihyun. Hyungwon gulps thickly, cursing himself for the heat he feels rising to his cheeks at the way Kihyun is glaring at him. His eyes fall to the ground to avoid his irate eyes. “Didn’t expect to see you here~” Minhyuk continues to say, mercifully ignoring Hyungwon’s blush.

“I-I’m taking a shortcut,” Hyungwon stutters out, feeling shy at being around someone he isn’t close to, especially when that someone is clearly so annoyed by his presence. Kihyun opens his mouth as if to say something, but a new voice interrupts him.

“Yo!” it says, causing Hyungwon to turn around to find a very surprised looking younger boy with bleached hair and small eyes staring at him.

“Hey, Heon,” Kihyun greets, brushing passed Hyungwon in an instant to join the new kid’s side. Hyungwon vaguely recognizes him as one of Kihyun’s gang, though that much is obvious with how Kihyun’s demeanor so severely changes. Hyungwon feels an odd, unnamable feeling at how easily Kihyun eases at seeing his friend, though he doesn’t know why. It isn’t as if he has anything against the guy… He supposes he just doesn’t like how Kihyun despises him for whatever unknown reason. 

“I brought more supplies,” the boy says, taking off his backpack and opening it to reveal more spray cans. Hyungwon can’t help how his eyes widen, glancing back to the messy mural and gulping thickly. Jeez, he just hopes his friend doesn’t get caught up in the downfall for this if they get caught… Hyungwon doesn't realize he’s staring at the tame handoff until Kihyun glares at him again, a silent dare very nearly in his eyes.

“Don’t you have somewhere to fuck off to?” Kihyun prompts. Hyungwon feels that dark emotion grow in his chest, making his ribcage feel like it's closing in on itself. He only gives a curt nod, allowing his own face to fall into a scowl before turning on his heel. He sees Minhyuk out of the corner of his eye shoot him an apologetic glance, but Hyungwon only shakes his head and pushes passed him. Though, he regrets not hesitating for at least a second longer when he rounds the corner and runs smack dab into a teacher.

“Mr. Chae,” the older man says, sounding somewhat surprised. Hyungwon makes a noise of surprise, bowing immediately to show the proper respect. “What are you doing on this side of campus?”

“I-I was taking a shortcut, sir,” Hyungwon says, remembering his best friend just a foot away from him, on the other side of the wall. He speaks a bit louder, hoping Minhyuk will at least hear him speaking with someone and get the hell outta dodge. “I’m sorry to have run into you! I wasn’t looking where I was going.” The teacher hums, nodding. But, then the man’s eyes squint, and he tilts his head as he nods towards Hyungwon’s right sleeve.

“And what’s that on your blazer, son?” he asks, though his tone is a bit guarded this time. Hyungwon glances down at it confusedly, his throat squeezing itself shut at realizing it’s a bit of paint. He remembers how Kihyun had moved passed him, brushed his arm against Hyungwon’s in the most aggressive way possible.  _ Shit _ . 

“My brother,” Hyungwon manages to say, his gaze snapping back up to the middle-aged man, “he likes to paint and—uh, he got it on my blazer!” He winces at his own falter, usually being quicker on his feet than this. The man hums, seeming to hesitate before nodding once. Hyungwon almost lets out a sigh of relief, but then there’s the sound of rattling paint cans and a very loud curse that could only belong to one boy in particular. The teacher’s gaze grows disappointed then, only sparing Hyungwon one more glance before grabbing him by the arm free of paint and dragging him back around the corner. 

Hyungwon gulps thickly when he sees Minhyuk, Kihyun, and the other boy all still back there, seemingly in the middle of scrambling to get their stuff together. Minhyuk’s foot is just inches away from a pile of empty cans, seeming as if he had kicked them over in his haste. Minhyuk sighs in exasperation at realizing they’ve been caught, shaking his head and looking forlornly at the mural. The other boy, too, looks almost scared. But, Kihyun is just standing there, as proud as ever with his arms crossed over his chest and a look that says “I fucking dare you to do something.” If Hyungwon were the teacher, he honestly probably wouldn’t say anything and just let him go. However, that’s probably because he isn’t immune to Kihyun’s anger like others seem to be.

“Detention,” the teacher announces, sounding almost tired. Hyungwon looks up with a silent plea in his eyes, the true story on his lips about why he’d tried to cover it up even though he wasn’t even a part of this! That he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time! But, the teacher clearly doesn’t want to hear it. “ _ All  _ of you,” he adds, and Hyungwon feels his heart plummet as his faze falls to the grass.

God, how is he going to explain this to his mom??


	4. Chapter 4

“No talking, no goofing off,” the detention monitor rattles off, pacing around the front of the room. “I’ve seen  _ some _ of you in here before,” she states, shooting a glare at the boy one seat down from Hyungwon on his right, “and for some of you it’s your first time. But, don’t make this a habit. Use the time to reflect on what brought you here today so that we are both very lucky in not having to see each other ever again.”

Hyungwon nods almost dutifully, gulping thickly. He couldn’t come here again, not for anything. He’d managed to get out of telling his mom about why he had to stay late at school this time, but he knows he won’t be so lucky again.

“Good,” the woman says. “Now, I have some papers to grade. I’ll just be down the hall, in my office. If I hear a  _ peep _ out of this room it’s another session of detention for  _ all _ of you.” She then clacks her way out of the room on black heels, leaving Hyungwon to look down at the table in shame. He can’t believe he’s stuck here, in a room with Kihyun and Minhyuk and a handful of other kids. He waits a moment for the kids to start moving around, having expected virtually none of them to actually follow the rules, to get out his math homework. After all, there’s a reason they’re in here.

He might as well get some extra studying done while he’s in here.

He manages to work through the first problem without much difficulty, pretty impressed with himself and unable to keep from smiling at the small victory. Just wait until he tells Hyunwoo! He even gets halfway through the second problem before a stern voice interrupts him, causing him to jump nearly completely out of his seat. 

“What’re you doing?” Kihyun asks, his proximity making Hyungwon look up at him in utter confusion. Why did he move the one seat closer?? 

“My math homework…” Hyungwon answers, frowning. He can’t help it, but a part of him blames Kihyun for him being here. Sure, it was his choice to take the shortcut the day before, but if Kihyun hadn’t been there marking up public property, he wouldn’t have had to try to hide anything in the first place! Plus, it’s all Kihyun’s fault he now has a stain of bright red paint on his blazer. Kihyun glances down at the paper for a moment before scoffing. Hyungwon huffs out a breath through his nose as he covers the papers with his hands, though it’s too late.

“No, you’re not,” Kihyun says, crossing his arms over his chest as he leans back in the chair. “You’re screwing up your math homework. There’s a difference.”

“I-I didn’t ask for your opinion,” Hyungwon stammers out defensively, though he can’t help but worriedly glance back down at his paper. Is he really getting it that wrong…? Or is Kihyun just being an asshole and trying to get into his head? Kihyun hums, clearly unimpressed by Hyungwon’s response. He eyes Hyungwon up and down, his eyes growing a tinge more thoughtful.

“Are you taking Soyou?” he asks. Hyungwon’s brows crease together at how Kihyun could have guessed that, and he parts his lips to ask as much before Kihyun lets out a long, exasperated sigh. He tilts his head back and props his feet against the top of the table, his eyes falling shut. Hyungwon tries not to note how good Kihyun looks like this, sort of just taking over the space and letting his hair fall back effortlessly… 

“Didn’t she give you my number by now?”

Hyungwon has to shake himself out of his daze, unsure if he had heard the older correctly.

“Your number?” he asks, though he knows exactly what Kihyun is talking about. After all, the slip of paper their shared teacher had given him is still burning away in his pocket. But, he’ll play dumb to prolong the inevitable for as long as possible. Kihyun tilts his head towards Hyungwon, his gaze tearing Hyungwon down brick by brick to reveal his core and then building him back up again. He feels so…  _ bare _ , and he doesn’t even know why. His own shoulders hunch forward, and he can’t help how he pulls at the ends of his sleeves self-consciously. 

“She asked if I would tutor you,” Kihyun explains, “but she didn’t say it was  _ you _ , just another student.” He’s silent for a moment, then two, and Hyungwon thinks he should say something back. But, he just keeps his eyes on his homework, honestly a bit curious about where Kihyun is going with this despite his nerves. “I didn’t realize you were in this bad of shape, though… I mean, I can help you, but it’s going to take a while.” Hyungwon meets his gaze then, nothing but surprise in his own eyes.

“You’d actually be willing to tutor me?” Hyungwon can’t help but ask. “Why?” Kihyun’s eyes flit to the ceiling then, seeming almost bored, and he shrugs after another beat of silence.

“You clearly won’t pass without my help,” Kihyun finally answers, “that’s reason enough.”

“But why do you c—?”

Minhyuk’s harsh shove on his shoulder makes his mouth snap shut, and he hears the distinct clack of heels in the hall. The monitor pokes her head back into the room, scowling at seeing Kihyun lounging about.

“Mr. Yoo,” she says with a single clap of her hands, a stern glare on her features, “please, for the hundredth time, refrain from using the school furniture like you’re at home.” Kihyun’s eyes roll over to her, seeming to linger on her for a moment too long before he drops his feet onto the floor with a wry smirk. She shakes her head, pinching the bridge of her nose as she disappears back in the presumed direction of her office. Minhyuk snickers on Hyungwon’s other side, and Hyungwon shoots him a questioning look before glancing back at Kihyun. But, Kihyun is already propping his feet back up on the desk, taking a magazine that the other friend of his is reading as setting against his own face.

“Guess you’ve got your tutor, Won~” Minhyuk says almost teasingly, wiggling a brow by the time Hyungwon looks at him once more. Hyungwon frowns at this, pushing Minhyuk back for earlier and for the almost suggestive way he says it. Minhyuk scoffs and rolls his eyes, waving at Hyungwon to get back to work. He does so, noting with some odd level of warmth when Kihyun starts to snore beside him. It’s a light sound, not deep and boisterous like he’d expect from someone with such a domineering personality. Not that he imagines what Kihyun sounds like in his sleep, mind you. Or at all… Just, you know, an observation he’s made.

He doesn’t realize he’s stopped writing on his homework until Minhyuk taps the papers, drawing his focus back to the task at hand and not on the sleeping boy to his right… Hyungwon sighs at himself, shaking his head at how easily he can get distracted, especially with Kihyun around.


	5. Chapter 5

“Hyungwon’s got a secret crush~” Minhyuk singsongs, smirking as he walks with Hyungwon towards his apartment. Hyungwon had gladly taken the invitation over to Minhyuk’s, since it’s a welcome postponement to having to see his mother’s disappointed face at his coming home after his first ever detention session, but he hadn’t realized his friend’s ulterior motives until now. However, the endless teasing on the bus and now the three-block walk has proven Minhyuk’s true intentions for inviting him over.

“I really don’t know why you keep on about this,” Hyungwon says, pursing his lips as he glances off towards the street. “He’s only going to tutor me, because  _ he _ offered. I didn’t even have to ask. If anyone has a crush, it’s him.” Minhyuk hums, his smirk faltering for the first time since they’ve left the school.

“I’ll admit, that was weird,” Minhyuk agrees, pouting in thought. “I didn’t see that one coming… But, this is sure to be interesting.”

“Define  _ interesting _ ,” Hyungwon comments dryly, the mere notion of spending so much one on one time making it harder to breathe. And not just because of that hateful glare Kihyun always seems to have in his eyes when Hyungwon is around. Minhyuk smirks, as if hearing Hyungwon’s thoughts.

“Why don’t you define it~?”

Hyungwon huffs out a breath through his nose, not liking the suggestive tone in his friend’s voice. He cuts his eyes at him, earning a loud cackle from Minhyuk and a slap on the shoulder. Hyungwon shakes his head, chewing on the tip of his thumb as he replays the plans Kihyun had all but forced onto him.

“Starting Monday after school,” Kihyun had said as they’d gathered their things at the end of detention, “I’ll tutor you every other day, including weekends. Bring your textbook, paper, and pencils to the library. Nothing else.”

Hyungwon had lost all his words at that, shaken by Kihyun’s forwardness. But, Kihyun had seemed to take that as a yes, nodding to himself before he left. Now, Hyungwon tries not to think too much about it… If he does, he’ll start blushing again and get Minhyuk started all back up.

Hyungwon spends the weekend held up in his home, doing his best to prepare for the upcoming tutoring session that’s sure to be utter hell. But, despite Kihyun’s awful attitude, Hyungwon knows he’s going to learn a lot from the older. He just has to. A small, desperate part of him knows Kihyun is his only chance at passing this class now. And, if he doesn’t pass, he can’t graduate. Plain and simple. And if he doesn’t graduate, his mother would be heartbroken… again.

So, it’s with this in mind that he studies harder than he’s ever studied, and then when Monday comes around when he goes to wait in the library. A part of him doesn’t even think Kihyun is going to show up, the belief only solidifying in his gut when he gets to the library and doesn’t see him. He takes a seat at the table nearest to the door, so Kihyun can easily find him in case he  _ does _ show up. He twiddles his thumbs, glancing at the clock a couple times. He huffs out a breath, pulling his phone out of his pocket and tapping into his drama app.

If Kihyun’s going to take his sweet time getting here, then he’s going to his favorite scene from his favorite movie to calm himself down while he waits. He puts in his earbuds and starts where the scene at the beginning of the buildup, crossing his arms on the table to prop his chin against. Little pixelated faces get a bit too close together, the dramatic music swelling, and they start to utter the first syllables of their confession… Just the thought of something like that happening to him is enough to get his palms all sweaty and his heart to start rac—

“I told you to only bring your class shit.”

Hyungwon jumps five feet off his seat, having not even realized one of his earbuds had been pulled out. He scrambles to sit upright, eyes blown wide as he watches Kihyun watch him with an unimpressed glare, his earbud hanging from his fingertips. 

“I-I… I was waiting on you,” Hyungwon stammers out, forcing down his own surprise as he reaches forward to pull the earbud free. He pulls his remaining one out, as well, huffing a small breath through his nose. He watches Kihyun circle to the other side of the table, his aggravation spiking at the almost lazy way the older saunters. “I don’t see why you’re the one annoyed when  _ you _ were late,” he points out, emboldened by his own annoyance. “The least you can do is let me finish this scene.” Kihyun’s eyes flick towards the phone then back to Hyungwon’s eyes as he starts to pull his supplies out, leaning his head against his fist as he clicks his pen.

“And then the guy says, ‘But you have no idea how I feel for you, never have,’” Kihyun starts to say in a drawled out monotone. “And the woman cries out, ‘How could I not, when I’ve always felt the same?’ And then they kiss and the hokey music starts playing before the storm clouds break, drenching them both in the middle of the street.”

Hyungwon blinks once, then twice, frowning hard at this.

“And how exactly do you know the big confession scene in my most favorite movie of all time by heart?” he can’t help but ask, locking his phone. Kihyun rolls his eyes, leaning back in his chair just enough for Hyungwon to see the light shade of red crawling up his neck passed his collar. Hyungwon can’t help but smile as a thought comes to him, seeing a possible common ground with his new impossible tutor. “A-Are you into romance movies, too?? Is this one your favorite? If not, which one is? I know that can be hard, there’s so many to choose from, but—”

“Am I here to tutor you on film theory or calculus?” Kihyun asks, clearly annoyed with how Hyungwon starts firing off questions. Hyungwon’s good mood falters, pursing his lips as he crosses his arms over his chest.

“I just thought it’d be nice if we can relate on something,” he says softly, not caring if the disappointment is clear in his voice. “Since we’re going to be spending so much time together…”

“We’re spending time together out of necessity,” Kihyun tells him coldly, “not because we’re friends.” A long silence stretches itself between the two boys, and Hyungwon can’t help but think back to Minhyuk’s teasing the other day… and he feels his chest ache a bit too painfully. “Now,” Kihyun breathes out, as if Hyungwon is breaking on the inside, “are you going to let me help you or not?”

Hyungwon hesitates, having half a mind to walk out now. After all, does he really need help from such an asshole who clearly wouldn’t have given him the time of day if he weren’t such a damsel in academic distress? But, then again, he really does need the help, and if Kihyun is willing to give it… 

They don’t have to get along, they have to study together. Hyungwon nods once, mostly to himself, as he leans over and retrieves his books from his backpack. Fine. He’ll give it a trial run. If this asshole gets him to pull an impossibly high score on the next exam, then he’ll get tutored by him. If not, then he’s better off on his own. He won’t spend time with this jerk any more than he has to… no matter how much his heart is screaming at him to.


	6. Chapter 6

Kihyun groans when he gets to his room later that evening, slumping onto his bed and letting his bag drop to the floor. Wow, he hasn’t had to use his brain  _ that _ much in a long time… It had taken almost an hour, but it finally seemed Hyungwon had a breakthrough. For the first unit, anyway. He had told Hyungwon that they’d be starting where the course began and then working their way up, since the units built on each other, and Hyungwon had gone along with it… despite not seeming all that pleased.

He buries his face against his pillow to get that stupid pretty boy’s face out of his head just as his phone starts to ring. He rolls onto his back after hesitating for a moment, pulling it from his blazer pocket and answering it with a grunt.

“ _ Finally _ got home, eh Kihyunnie?” Minhyuk chirps cheekily on the other line, eliciting another groan from Kihyun’s lips. Kihyun reaches up to wipe at his face, throwing his arm over his eyes to shield them from the overhead light.

“Your friend is a total ditz,” Kihyun grumbles. “I don’t know why he didn’t try to contact me sooner! He’s  _ so _ far behind, it’s going to be a miracle if I get him to pass the class. He should’ve just messaged me when Soyou gave him my number.”

“Ah… so you knew about that?” Minhyuk asks, earning a sigh from Kihyun.

“Of course I did,” Kihyun tells him, “I only brought it up in detention because Soyou asked me to. She figured he wouldn’t reach out to me first for whatever reason, so she asked me to approach him.” Minhyuk makes a noise of understanding, as if all the pieces are coming together now.

“He said you quoted his favorite movie at him, too,” Minhyuk says with a snicker. “Was that because Soyou asked you to, too?” Kihyun frowns hard at this, sitting up and glaring at the top comforter on his bed. He starts picking at it distractedly before looking for his bag, digging his hand inside for a cigarette.

“He was watching a movie when he should’ve been studying,” Kihyun defends, taking the cigarette to the window to light and take a big inhale from. He huffs it out slowly as he flicks the cigarette gently. Minhyuk hums, obviously not believing him, and that only worsens the way Kihyun’s blood seems to shake in its veins. Is he… nervous? But why? What’s he got to be nervous about? “What? You don’t believe me or something?”

“Or something,” Minhyuk replies vaguely. There’s a beat of silence, almost long enough for Kihyun to formulate another thought, but then Minhyuk says, “Anyway! I’ve gotta go. I’ll see you tomorrow!” Kihyun is left to listen to an unfeeling dial tone. He grunts in annoyance, tossing his phone onto his bed and finishing off his cigarette in his second inhale. He shoves the butt against his windowsill a bit too aggressively, shoving it up to toss it out. However, who he sees walking past his house gives him pause. 

He smirks, pointedly aiming it towards the path Hyungwon’s feet will stumble through. The younger doesn’t seem to disappoint, immediately snapping his head upward and glaring up into Kihyun’s window… almost as if he’d known it was there.

“That’s littering,” Hyungwon frowns, kicking the butt onto Kihyun’s front yard.

“Not if it’s on my property,” Kihyun replies, his smirk growing as he leans a bit out of the window to hear better. He doesn’t know why he’s wasting his time antagonizing the popular boy… Probably because his expression when he gets annoyed is so funny.

“Technically that’s your dad’s property, so…”

Kihyun purses his lips at this, his uptake in mood faltering at the mention of his father.

“Dad’s dead,” Kihyun tells him, not bothering to hide the acid in his voice. “So, no, it isn’t his.”

“Then it’s your mom’s!” Hyungwon snaps, readjusting his hold on his backpack with a big huff. Kihyun smiles, feeling his bitterness ebb away at how rattled Hyungwon is. And, moreso, how he didn’t automatically deflate and act sympathetic to his having a dead father like everyone seems to do.

“You gonna work on those practice problems?” Kihyun prompts as Hyungwon starts to stomp away, causing the younger to stop and whirl around again.

“I said I would, didn’t I?” he questions back, entirely indignant in the way he holds himself. Kihyun starts to think this side of Hyungwon is much more tolerable than the sniveling bookworm pretty boy he’d thought Hyungwon was… He likes em with a little bite.

“Don’t watch that asinine movie until you’re done! You don’t need any distractions!”

“The asinine movie you know by heart, you mean??” Hyungwon presses, taking a bold step towards Kihyun’s house, his window. Kihyun raises a brow, smirking more at this.

“That’s the one~!” Kihyun replies, as if being called out for knowing that movie so well doesn’t rattle him so much. Hyungwon groans, shaking his head and wiping a hand over his face.

“Whatever,” he says, lifting a hand and surging away. Kihyun hums softly in his throat, crossing his arms over his chest as he leans against his windowsill. He watches Hyungwon stop after two more houses and disappear into the third, taking note of it. Despite, you know, how he doesn’t give two shits that Hyungwon apparently lives right under his nose and he’d never realized. He’s too busy with his own stuff, always has been… Even if such things he’s been busy with have changed since his dad died.

Kihyun hmmphs under his breath and catapults himself off the sill, going to leave his room for a snack. His younger brother all but falls in when he opens his door, and his brow creases. The young boy bolts upright, his eyes shining.

“Who were you just talking to?” he asks immediately, latching onto Kihyun’s leg. Kihyun groans in annoyance, walking with some difficulty now towards the stairs. 

“No one, brat,” he says, pressing a hand to the top of the boy’s head. He feels his brother lean into the touch, and he lets it linger before pulling away. 

“Then why’re you smiling so much?” 

This gives Kihyun pause, having to take a moment to realize that yes, he actually  _ is _ smiling. A real, genuine smile that he hadn’t even noticed was there… Huh. He hasn’t smiled that much since— Well, in a long time. He presses on his face until he feels it fall into a scowl, feeling much more at ease with such an expression. It’s easier, keeps people away from you. People who seem to make you smile like an idiot for absolutely no reason.

“You gonna let go, or do you want me to kick you down the stairs?” Kihyun asks, pointedly not answering the boy’s question. His little brother laughs, the sound like tinkling bells, and he throws himself off of Kihyun’s leg and runs into his room. Kihyun sighs, shaking his head as he continues on his quest for sustenance and sufficiently pushing all thoughts out of his mind of a certain tutee now under his wing.


	7. Chapter 7

The two boys fall into a sort of routine for the next couple weeks. Hyungwon shows up early to every tutoring session, Kihyun shows up at least five minutes late. Hyungwon doesn’t bother starting a movie again, though, not wanting a repeat of their first meeting. After the second weekend of an eight-hour tutoring session with minimal breaks, Hyungwon even starts to notice a change in the edgy boy. He doesn’t seem quite as harsh when he corrects Hyungwon, and he doesn’t give him nearly as much shit about being so bad at math. A part of him wonders—hopes—he’s gained some level of respect from the older… though, the realistic side of him knows that’s impossible. Not that he really wants it, anyway. After all, what would Kihyun do if he approves of Hyungwon’s dedication to his studies? Give him a cookie?

No thanks, Hyungwon can buy a whole pack at the convenience store across the street. 

Hyungwon has his first test since their tutoring sessions started at the end of the week, and Kihyun changes their schedule so that they’ll meet  _ every _ day after school until the library closes. Then, Kihyun drags them to a nightly study room. He always makes sure to stop by the convenience store first, though, to ensure Hyungwon has enough food for the long night ahead, and they don’t even get onto the bus to go back to their street until midnight, at the earliest. Kihyun pushes him harder than he’s ever been pushed by anyone, drilling formulas and principles and whatever else into his brain until he can’t think of anything else but the test material. 

After he takes the test, he’s surprised to find Kihyun outside in the hall… almost as if he’s waiting for him. 

“So?” Kihyun says, a brow raised. He’s leaning against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest. Hyungwon gulps thickly, his exhausted brain taking a moment to process what the other is asking about. 

“O-Oh, I um… think I passed?” Hyungwon offers lamely, shrugging a shoulder in a wince. Kihyun scoffs and rolls his eyes. He shakes his head as he pulls a pack of gum out of his pocket. 

“Of course you did,” Kihyun tells him, “I rammed that shit into you all week. What did you not feel confident on in the actual testing zone?” Hyungwon gulps thickly, trying not to focus too hard on Kihyun’s wording about ramming things into him, instead staring at the pack of gum. Is that…?

“Is that nicotine gum?” Hyungwon can’t help but ask aloud, the surprise clear in his voice. “Are you trying to quit smoking?” He remembers a conversation they had had earlier that week during one of their cram sessions where Hyungwon had snapped at him about how much he smoked. Despite it, you know, not really being any of his business. He’d suggested Kihyun start using the nicotine gum, so that way the older could at  _ least _ live to thirty. 

Kihyun scowls, quickly putting the gum away after popping a piece into his mouth. 

“I had to start using the gum,” he explains so slow it’s like he thinks Hyungwon is mentally challenged, “because  _ some _ one is so hopeless at doing homework themselves that I had to spend all week in a study room. Without smoke breaks.” Hyungwon hmmphs at that, not very content with the answer. He ignores the comment about him being hopeless, instead focusing on the real reason he’s here. 

“I forgot a couple of tricks you taught me,” Hyungwon answers, crossing his own arms now, “but even still I feel confident with the overall concepts I was tested on.” Something slips through Kihyun’s eyes at how Hyungwon’s voice changes, but he doesn’t pay it much mind. Why keep reading into things if Kihyun’s just going to keep on being a dick to him? 

“When’s your next exam?” Kihyun asks, his tone having a bit of a harder edge than a couple seconds ago. Hyungwon purses his lips, eyes falling to the floor. 

“Second week of next month, it’s the midterm.”

“Then we’ll take today off,” Kihyun tells him. Hyungwon can’t help how his shoulders deflate in disappointment. Despite Kihyun’s bad attitude and terse demeanor, he has cracked a joke here or there in the passed week, and Hyungwon really likes being able to go somewhere after school before home. 

“Oh… okay,” Hyungwon says, his voice subdued. “Guess I’ll… see you Monday?” Kihyun’s face screws up in confusion, like Hyungwon’s just grown fifty heads. 

“No, you’ll see me after school,” Kihyun replies. “I’m cancelling the tutoring, not the meeting up.” Hyungwon’s brows knit together. 

“But… what’re we gonna do?” Hyungwon asks, tilting his head to the side. “I thought you said before we weren’t friends—“

“I’ll figure it out,” Kihyun says with a wave of his hand. “I’ll just meet you at your locker when school’s over.” Hyungwon hums, nodding a little. Kihyun then turns on his heel and walks off, disappearing behind a door marked Restricted. Hyungwon frowns hard in thought, trying to figure out just what Kihyun is playing at… 

Kihyun doesn’t stop walking until he’s up on the roof, gnashing the gum between his molars anxiously. His veins feel like they’re on fire, his legs jumpy and knocking together as he climbs the stairs. When he breaks out into the sun-filled rooftop, he immediately starts to pace. 

Why did he just do that?? Why did he just ask Hyungwon to hang out for  _ fun _ ???? What could he possibly have to gain from pulling this kind of stunt? Hyungwon’s just going to hang around him now, wasting his time, and then when he realizes how much of a useless prick Kihyun really is he’s just going to leave him just like his da—

No. It’s fine. This is going to be fine. Kihyun breathes out a long breath through his mouth, spitting his gum haphazardly to the side. He reaches into his inner coat pocket and pulls out a cigarette, lighting it up and taking as big an inhale as he can manage. No need to freak out, he’ll just hang out with Hyungwon  _ once  _ as a reprieve from the studying… You know, as a reward for doing well on the test. After all, the reward system is a tried and true teaching method. If he rewards Hyungwon with a night off, the younger will be even more refreshed and rearing to go for the next exam. 

Besides… Kihyun really couldn’t stand how disappointed Hyungwon looked when he’d said he was cancelling their tutoring session. The way the light just fell from his big eyes… it leaves a lump in Kihyun’s throat he isn’t quite ready to acknowledge properly. 


	8. Chapter 8

“So, he asked you out?” Minhyuk asks, smirking wryly around a cherry red lollipop. Hyungwon huffs out an exasperated breath, shaking his head. 

“I highly doubt he’s thinking of it as a date, Min,” Hyungwon argues. Or, at least, semi-argues. Of course, there’s that part of him that’s really, really,  _ really _ hoping for it to be a date, but the rest of him knows there’s no way Yoo Kihyun would ask him out on a date. He thinks Hyungwon a stupid thorn in his side that’ll be out by the end of the year. Point blank. Hyungwon can see it in the smallest of glances the disdain Kihyun has for him. He can tell in how the older will exasperatedly take out one of those insipid cigarettes. He stresses Kihyun out, annoys him to no end.

Luckily for them both, he’ll be out of Kihyun’s hair soon enough.

“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Minhyuk says, earning a curious glance from his friend. Minhyuk shrugs, closing his locker door with much less bravado than usual. “Whenever I call, he only ever talks about you… I mean, I asked him to go light a dumpster on fire last night, and you know what he said? ‘Sorry, I have to help Hyungwonnie study…’  _ Really _ ?? Studying over arson??? Where’s the fun in that?!” Minhyuk huffs, slumping against the lockers. Hyungwon can’t help how he smiles, glancing bashfully to the floor as he grips his bag.

“He… blew you off to study with me?” Hyungwon asks, unable to keep the hope from his voice. Minhyuk hums, his head flopping over lazily to smirk at his friend.

“I mean,” Minhyuk sighs, teasing, “I’d only  _ ever _ give up a chance to set random shit on fire if it was for someone I liked, so… I’d say this is pretty serious.” Hyungwon does his best to bite back a smile, his heart beating a bit harder in his chest. He’d told himself to stop reading into things with Kihyun, because he always only ends up disappointed. Kihyun’s a dick with two too many addictions and awful coping mechanisms. Whenever Hyungwon had tried to get close to him throughout the past few weeks, he’d only be snapped at. Reminded they aren’t friends.

But now they’re hanging out for funsies? 

Just what the hell is Kihyun playing at??

Kihyun’s waiting by Hyungwon’s locker by the time the bell rings, having skipped his last class. He’s chewing on another piece of gum, having already gone through the entire pack in one day. He makes a mental note to buy more while he’s out with—not out as in…  _ out _ . Just, you know, spending casual time outside of school together kind of out. Hyungwon follows the flow of students out of his last class of the day, seeming a bit out of it. When he has that distant look to his eyes, Kihyun’s filled with the overwhelming urge to either take him by the hand and guide him… or to just slap him out of it.

He can’t really decide.

Hyungwon finally seems to notice him when he’s mere inches away from colliding into him. His eyes bulge out of their sockets, a borderline panicked light filling them. Kihyun can’t help but smirk, cheeky despite his own nerves.

“Don’t bring a lot of stuff,” Kihyun tells him, turning to watch his long fingers spin the combination lock. “I can bring you back to get what you need.” 

“You don’t mean like, bring me back to break into the school for what I need, do you?” Hyungwon asks, raising a suspicious brow. Kihyun can’t help the genuine laugh that escapes his lips at this, not missing how bewildered Hyungwon seems at the reaction. Not that he really knows why Hyungwon looks so surprised, they’ve shared laughs together in the study room… Not as hearty, mind you, but that’s only because math humor is only so-so.

“Just bring the essentials,” Kihyun repeats, giving him a conspiratorial wink. A light pink floods Hyungwon’s cheeks, and he glances between Kihyun and the inside of his locker a couple times before shoving his whole bag inside and closing it.

“Who needs history homework, anyway,” he asks jokingly, earning a hum of approval from Kihyun.

“That’s the spirit.” 

Kihyun then touches Hyungwon’s arm and starts tugging him gently by his blazer sleeve towards the door. He can practically hear the look of surprise Hyungwon is giving him at the soft touch, a part of him wants to punch him on the shoulder to make up for it… but, he holds in that reflex he’s cultivated for the last year. Tonight, he’s going to show a different side of himself to Hyungwon.

Two nights prior, Hyungwon had fallen asleep in the study room. Kihyun hadn’t even realized until it was too late, having been too caught up in grading Hyungwon’s pop quiz. He’d just looked up and seen Hyungwon slouched against the table, absolutely passed out. He’d tried poking him, calling his name, thumping his head, all to no avail. He’d accepted defeat then, packed up their things, and propped Hyungwon up on his back as best he could. It was a bit hard due to Hyungwon’s gangly limbs, but he’d finally managed.

Hyungowon had come to when they got on the bus, though only halfway. He’d blinked around with those big doe eyes of his, confusion laced with exhaustion. Kihyun had had to fight back a smile, begrudgingly finding the expression cute.

“You’re nice when you’re not talking down to me,” Hyungwon had said, a big gummy smile overtaking his face. “And you’re… so cute.” Kihyun’s eyes had grown as wide as discs then, which had only caused Hyungwon to giggle before passing back out. 

Kihyun has been thoroughly unable to shake such the occurrence out of his mind since. Hyungwon has seemed none the wiser, likely due to Kihyun not bringing it up with him. He’d meant to the next day, but Hyungwon was back to his usual stressed self about his test, and Kihyun couldn’t find it in his heart to add more to the younger’s plate…

But, he can’t deny the stirrings of something warm and fuzzy in the base of his gut when Hyungwon had called him cute. He doesn’t fight the happiness that threatens to sour his bad mood when he thinks of how Hyungwon actually thinks he can be  _ nice _ … Like he can see through all the bullshit, unlike everyone else. It intrigues Kihyun, and it makes him want to get to know the prep as more than just a tutee.

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on Twitter @ReeLeeV1 to scream with me on the daily! <3 Any comments/kudos are always appreciated!!!! <3333333


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